Longford man who was ordered to remain alcohol free was drinking vodka when arrested
Judge not satisfied defendant has shown the capacity to abide by bail conditions
A Longford man, who was ordered to remain intoxicant free and away from Garvey's Lane under bail applications put in place last month, has been arrested while drinking from a bottle of vodka on Garvey's Lane.
Shane Nevin (35), of 67 Mac Eoin Park, Longford, was due at Longford District Court yesterday morning to face 22 charges, but made no appearance.
Garda Anthony Scanlon, of Longford Garda Station, gave evidence of arrest charge and caution yesterday evening (Tuesday), after a bench warrant was issued earlier that morning for the accused.
Mr Nevin was arrested at 4.50pm on Garvey's Lane and brought directly to court where the state made an application to remand him in custody on the basis of his failure to comply with bail conditions.
Garda Scanlon told the court that he was aware of a number of bail conditions issued to the accused on March 28 last, including that he remain intoxicant free and stay away from certain areas of Longford.
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“The place of arrest was Garvey's Lane, where he had to stay away from,” said Gda Scanlon.
“When I arrested him, he was drinking from a litre bottle of vodka. Over half the bottle was gone but I can't say whether or not he had drank it all, as he was with a group of people.”
Solicitor for the defence, Mr Diarmuid Quinn, put it to Garda Scanlon that many of the charges before the court are “of a minor nature” and that Mr Nevin currently suffers with “addiction issues”.
Gda Scanlon agreed that the 22 charges before the court were “mainly for public order” and accepted that the accused has problems with addiction.
Mr Quinn noted that his client was residing with his mother in Mac Eoin Park and signing on at Longford Garda Station. He asked if there were any conditions the court could impose that would “allay your fears as regards his behaviour”.
“We'd still have concerns because he was breaching his current bail conditions,” Gda Scanlon replied.
Mr Quinn suggested a condition that Mr Nevin seek addiction treatment, asking Gda Scanlon if that would allay his fears.
“Well, it would be good for himself but it wouldn't allay our fears,” said Gda Scanlon.
Mr Quinn, addressing Judge Bernadette Owens yesterday evening, noted the 22 charges before the court but said he does not believe any of those matters will “trouble the court”.
“He wants to seek help, he told me. He has been in to see the priest about it,” he said.
“Ultimately, he's seeking bail and he wants to deal with the matters before the court. He's willing to abide by any further conditions the court may impose.”
Judge Owens, having heard the evidence against Mr Nevin, and the basis of the state's objection to bail, said she was “not satisfied he has shown the capacity to abide by bail conditions”.
She proceeded to remand Mr Nevin in custody to appear via video link on April 23 next.